The Stray Cat
by 4TAE
Summary: A stray cat finds solace in the gentle hands of a human man. Modern AU with talkingcat!Eren. Rating may change.


a/n: Ereri boat won't sail until later in the story, so you'll have to be patient, which sucks, I know.

I tried to proofread but... yeah, there's probably tons of grammar issues and typos in here. Sorry.

I'll be on my tumblr (on my profile) if there's major typos/issues you absolutely need me to correct.

* * *

**- i. the cat and the wintry moonlight -**

_Eren is not a normal cat._

* * *

.

The streets were extremely jolly at this time of year. Red and green streamers fell, looping and zig-zagging and twisting themselves into strange knots that adorned the dull, leafless trees that lined the street. Lights twinkled everywhere, a strange myriad of colors that mixed and glittered into white. It blinded Eren, who was used to darker, inkier shades of black and gray.

He screwed his face up in an effort to loosen his facial nerves, which were frozen numb. His nose was particularly cold, moist with melted snowflakes. The frigid air bit at him from all sides. Even his tail sagged behind, heavy from ice particles clinging onto the very roots of his fur.

As a stray, days like this were common, yet he never got used to it.

He was shivering, he realized, as little beads of water dropped from his shivering whiskers, but he wasn't sure whether it was from the chilly weather or his own weak joints starting to give out. Maybe it was a combination of both.

"Cold," Eren muttered.

Besides the fact that he probably looked downright miserable, he was also aware of his empty stomach, which uttered low groans of complaint from days of neglect. The emptiness made him feel wobbly.

Now that he thought about it, his last meal was a measly portion of a left over breakfast waffle. It was hard and dry; each bite was almost painful to swallow, but he managed to eat at least half of it before it was snatched away by pesky rat. He could have chased the rat. Instead, he just stared at its gray body skittering away, tail moving in crazy directions, turning its head in a mocking smile, waffle in tow…

How long ago was that? He reckoned it was almost two weeks ago. Since then, he lived off of nibbles of crumbs on the floor and when times were desperate, grass (eugh). It tasted bland and turned his tongue a nasty shade of green. But he survived, and that was all that mattered.

His sensitive ears could detect a faint hum of jolly tunes accompanied with ringing bells and soulful voices could be heard just above the chatter, accompanied with a few excited shouts of children having a snow fight, and some mindless laughter and high-pitched giggles.

Snow, there was snow too. It was about a few inches tall, enough for boots to make a satisfying crunch! with every step, tinted with various colors from the colored lights. For Eren, it was a difficult substance to walk through. Each time he sunk his paw into the snow, it came out drenched with icy water and bits of gravel dug in between his sensitive paw pads. The pads were beginning to turn a shade darker with bruises.

It was all very beautiful, Eren was sure. Without the lights, it would have been a carpet of pure white. But this street, filled with holiday cheer, was something Eren disliked. He hated the whole light fiasco and the amount of people that would stomp on his tail, not even realizing their fault as they walked away with their arms tucked happily into someone else's. He was negligible. A small being that didn't matter. The rowdy street only amplified that feeling.

He strolled along the streets, jostling against the flood of holiday shoppers, steps careful and deliberate as to not get lost in the chaos. Slipping between people clad in fleece mittens and overcoats, Eren darted to his goal, the glossy shop at the end of the street where little rosy-faced children had huddled in front, their faces pressed to the window. They oohed and aahed at the luscious red candy apples, assorted rainbow taffy, cotton candy so light and fluffy, and at the drizzles of chocolate streaking down freshly baked waffle cones.

The store door opened and a few customers walked out. Seizing the chance, Eren dashed into the store.

It was heaven. Lollipops, sugar drops, and wafers- oh, a chocolate fountain…- Eren swallowed down his urge to drool. The treats looked and smelled absolutely delectable, and he blinked furiously at the myriad of bright colored candies, stunned. He momentarily relaxed at the sweet smell of baked bread. A small gust of warmth ruffled the cat's fur, enough to make him aware of his freezing paws, sticky with mud, and dripping, matted fur.

A burly man – presumably an employee judging by his striped uniform- approached the cat, broom in his hands, bellowing, "Get out!"

Eren's tail gave a small shake at the employee's appearance, and he was instantly man continued threatening Eren, dangerously lowering the broom. Eren scowled, but cautiously took a step back, his gaze shifting back and forth between the man and various sweets, debating which one would be the best catch. He fought with the inner voice inside him telling him to just grab all of them. Cotton candy would melt, taffy was too messy to carry, and god forbid it was way too risky to grab the crepe sitting by the cashier.

Panicking, Eren settled for a half-eaten waffle cone sitting on a table. He leapt up and grabbed the crepe in between his teeth. Eren didn't back down, and neither did the man, who was breathing heavily, muttering, "Seriously, the pest control team was called in just a few months ago, but all these thieving strays just keep wandering back. Stupid things just won't learn their lesson."

Eren stumbled back to the edge of the table, hissing furiously at the broom-wielding man. He widened his mouth in a hostile snarl. His claws were scraped past the edge of the table and he faltered, nearly falling, but he managed to keep a relatively firm grip by planting himself lower on the table.

"Disgusting vermin! Out of my store!"

It came down.

Eren involuntarily yelped in pain, wincing as he felt the broomstick's impact at his shoulder. He heaved a big breath at the aching pain exploding at his joints. Feeling dizzy at the sudden force, his jaws slacked- and he dropped the waffle cone onto the floor.

Shit. Eren glanced down at the fallen waffle.

Unfortunately for the poor cat, that extra second cost him greatly.

The broom mercilessly came down again, and the impact sucked all the air out of Eren. He felt a familiar rush of panic and defeat, and began to take steps back towards the door.

To hell with the waffle, Eren moaned to himself in despair.

He scrambled off the table, letting out a pained cry when he fell on the floor at with his leg at a twisted angle. Hoisting himself up, Eren turned and ran.

By the time he successfully fled from the store, he was so hungry, so exhausted, so cold - there was no more strength in his body, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and succumb to the darkness. Some people pointed at him and muttered "Poor thing", but no one lent out a helping hand to the cat.

Resentment burned in Eren's chest.

He took flight away from the street. Each leap was painful; a thousand needles shot through his paws and into his stressed limbs. By tomorrow, there would be a hulking, purple bruise by his sides. He could already feel it throbbing with painful sensation.

He ran and ran, muscles crying in protest at the burning pain that slowly spread.

Running from what, Eren didn't know. Perhaps he was running reality itself. But it made him feel free, almost, and he forgot about his hunger and shivering body- until he found his limbs jerking around in odd directions.

With no control over his arms and legs, he wobbled around unsteadily. Eren tried to pull himself together, but his brain was a total mess.

The ground was shaking- it undulated like untamed waves, and Eren was no longer steady on his feet- now that he thought about it, where was he going? He couldn't see anything, he was blind, and the world was caving in.

Foggy haze entered the corner of his eyes, and the metal trashcan in front of him bent into a thousand shards of a kaleidoscope. He felt like fainting any second now.

He stretched out his weak paws, hoping to reach some stable ground, but it crumbled under his grasp. His head ached badly. Blackness started to clot his vision, and he let out a strained gasp, because he was falling, falling.

Eren stumbled head-on into a hard surface- rough cement, and his ears flattened in pain. He inhaled harshly as noise washed away from the world. His legs shook. The world was flipping. His mind was dully buzzing, but it slowly faded into nothingness. It was quietly peaceful, yet eerie.

Why couldn't he just live peacefully?

Why was life so hard for him?

Why?

"Can you all just leave me alone," Eren muttered aloud. "Shit, why can't I just…"

He was so tired. Hungry. Miserable. Cold.

To be honest, he didn't think he would care about dying anymore. Even death would be better than living like this.

If only he could lay his head to rest, and free himself of all worries…

So he did exactly that, and Eren felt himself falling sideways, hurtling towards the ground.

xxx

Eren remembered the first time he ate grass.

Grass was enchanting the first time Eren saw it; it glimmered with dew in cold mornings, the vivid color standing out among its stark surroundings. In Eren's imagination, it would taste crisply refreshing, and maybe even have a zing of sunlight, whatever sunlight tasted like.

His hopes crashed and burned the first time he took a mouthful.

Grass tasted bitter. And made his tongue green, Eren grudgingly thought. He'd rather not have grass again.

xxx

When Eren opened his eyes halfway, he was utterly confused, and he clung onto the slumber that was disappearing as he gradually awakened.

Heaven, Even sleepily thought. I've arrived in heaven. I guess I've finally died, after weeks- no months- of living in a hellhole. I wish I didn't die in such an anticlimactic way though. But on the bright side, maybe they'll actually have decent food here.

He forced his heavy lids fully open. He arose to cream-colored walls, a welcoming heat, a faintest scent of chlorine and citrus, and a man sitting in the corner.

Eren stilled. Man sitting in the corner?

The man sat on a couch, one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on his lap. He had piercing eyes- dark and shadowy and glimmering with sharpness. As cheesy as it sounded, Eren felt like it was looking into the depths of his souls. It was nothing like his own viridescent orbs- the man's were an alluring, pure black.

The man's bottom lip twitched as little bits of grime from the ragged cat's fur fell onto his floor. He bit his tongue to refrain himself from pulling on latex gloves and cleaning the grime right that second. "Oi. I'd appreciate it if you'd get your dirty mop of fur off my floor."

_Shit_. Eren's eyes widened to comical proportions when he realized he was in a_ human's _house. He tried to peel himself off the floor, but failed miserably. All the days of nonstop walking rendered him too tired to walk. He lay helplessly on the floor, legs and arms splayed out in awkward angles. So he simply stayed put, looked up at the man, with a silent expression of 'I can't'.

"You have to be kidding me." The man said lowly. "Don't even think about dying. I don't want any rotting corpses in here."

Despite the man's threats, Eren's eyelids slowly started to close again. He tried to force them open, but they felt so heavy, like a one-ton bag of lead stones. Perhaps, Eren thought, he could die _here_. It would more satisfying than dying in the streets.

"Shit, Hanji must be piss drunk for bringing you here in the first place." The man paused to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation, bitterly thinking of how Hanji- _that annoying woman_, he groaned- had knocked at his door at midnight with the largest, wide-toothed smile he had ever seen her have. The man recalled how she invited herself inside, eyes wide and panting for her breath. He expected her to have some turn of the century discovery or some shit, but then she held up her hand, and showed him this- this wet, sloppy rag of a cat.

Then she leaned over to dramatically whisper, "It's a talking cat."

Needless to say, the man kicked her out immediately and told her she was drunk. Which she was, obviously, because her cheeks were redder than ripe tomatoes. Before she wobbled away, she literally tossed the cat into his arms, grinning, 'take care of him'.

The man faced the cat and rubbed his temples tiredly. "Coming here at midnight to drop off this- this dirty thing while claiming that it talks. Utter bullshit, if you ask me."

Eren froze. He sat up in surprise, his limbs screaming in protest at his sudden movement. His breath hitched and he nervously blinked, pretending that he hadn't heard. He squeezed his paws against the wooden floor, and looked at the man as innocently as possible. His mind, however, was a total mess. He gave a stuttering purr and prayed that he looked like he had no idea what the man was talking about.

The man heaved himself off the couch and walked towards Eren. "Hey, brat. Do you really talk? Or is Hanji just being insane again?" The man wanted to laugh at himself for asking such a ridiculous question; it obviously was the latter.

The cat itself was rather bizarre, the man noted. It glanced up at him warily with bright, emerald eyes that didn't quite fit in with his tawny fur, and it wasn't afraid of him at all; rather, it looked angry. The cat's eyes were unnaturally large, but now they were narrowed into snake-like slits, watching the man like prey, which was ironic because the cat looked completely harmless. Or, the man considered, maybe he was drunk too, that he was merely imagining the expressions on the cat's face, even though he hadn't touched a milliliter of alcohol.

The man wasn't wrong; Eren was angry. Angry that the fact he talked had somehow managed to slip out.

While keeping up his innocent facade, Eren inwardly panicked. He squeezed his eyes shut as he recalled how terrified humans were once they witnessed a talking cat. The humans ran away, then came back with uniformed men paired with strange tools, murmuring under their breath about 'research facility' and 'monsters'. He learned that talking cats were not meant to be in this world, and he was perfectly content on keeping it that way.

Eren silently gulped as the man came closer and closer until his feet was a meter away from Eren's limp body. Eren momentarily nervously flicked his tail back and forth in an agitated motion. His tense movements did not go unnoticed by the man.

Unfortunately for the poor cat, the man walked closer and bent down, his face now mere centimeters away from Eren's. The cat had to curl his toes to refrain from lunging out and clawing at the man's face. Eren's anxiousness started to clump together into small pulses that made his tail and whiskers flinch every few seconds, and he hissed as he tried to control his jerky movements.

Suddenly, the man firmly stomped on the ground, creating a loud thumping noise.

Shocked, Eren jumped up on reflex. The man raised both of his eyebrows in a pleasant manner.

Realizing that the man was playing with him- bullying him, really- Eren skittishly retreated to his former position on the ground, an evident scowl plastered on his face. Damn him. The urge to get up and flee far far away sounded more delectable by the second as Eren timidly scooted away.

"What are you so jumpy for?" The man followed Eren as the cat moved farther and farther away. Once Eren's back was firmly pressed to a wall, the man leaned down and wrinkled his nose distastefully. "God damn, you really need a shower. I thought you looked pretty bad, but up close- there's mold growing on the very tip of your tail."

The man's face warped even further in repulse as he loudly said, "You look and smell like a sewer rat."

The bundle of nervousness suddenly unclasped itself.

And before he could stop himself-

"I do not!" Eren loudly said, before realizing his mistake.

And then with a twinge of hysteria, "Shit."

The man's fingers twitched in a sudden spasm, because the cat-

- _it talked_.

At the sudden realization of what the cat had just done, the man's eyes widened a fraction of a centimeter, and he cursed so quietly that even the cat's sensitive ears failed to catch his utterance.

On the other hand, Eren was no better than the surprised man; he was a major mess. Once the man managed to pull himself out of his shocked stupor, he began to gauge the cat's distressed reactions.

The cat had huddled into a protective position, claws digging into the ground. Eren clamped his mouth shut so tightly that he swore he could feel his jaw popping out of its sockets. His body started to shake- not with fear, but with anger at how easily he was provoked. The words had slipped out so silkily that Eren had a hard time acknowledging he actually talked. He clenched his teeth together, and the the rusty taste of blood pervated through his mouth. He forced his jaws open and closed them again, desperately searching for an excuse.

Why did he fall for that? He'd been insulted countless times before. A sickly feeling grew in him as he remembered that humans were unwelcoming of strange creatures like him; he would be taken away, researched on, dissected... He would be treated as an experiment, and he would never be able to live as a free cat again. Bile started to rise up in his throat, and he gagged. Eren forced himself to glimpse at the man, wondering what the man was feeling; horror or astonishment?

But the man didn't look affected at all. If the man was surprised (the man honestly didn't know himself), he was certainly good at masking it, for his face was a blank slate.

Instead of pulling his hair out and screaming 'it talks!' like Eren expected him to, the man merely raised an eyebrow in an almost triumphant manner.

"So it talks," The man expressionlessly stated. His voice was soft, almost eerily calm, and there was a smidgen of wonder subtly mixed in. The man's unperturbed reply gave way to an unsettling feeling within Eren.

Eren swallowed thickly, blinking rapidly in apprehension. Maybe the man will have the memory span of a goldfish, and he'll forget all about it after today, he prayed. Eren was still holding onto his last strand of hope until the expectant look on the man's face sent his hopes crashing down. It clearly expressed that he had heard the cat talk. Eren started to wring his paws in a circular motion, desperate for something to distract the man. He regretted not darting out of the house earlier when he had the chance to. If only a flowerpot fell and hid him on the head, Eren wistfully thought.

But still, Eren couldn't believe he had spoken out that easily. _One year,_ he berated himself. He remained undiscovered for a year as a stray. _And then I'm found out because of some measly, stupid, idiotic mistake._

Forgetting about the man, Eren chewed at the inside of his mouth, wiggled his claws anxiously, then proceeded to violently pound his tail against the wall in anger. He could run, out of the window, but that was just running towards his own death. Moreover, if the man chased him, he wouldn't stand a chance with his injuries.

Eren was still considering the option of staying silent. The man heard him talk, but perhaps Eren could stay mute so that the man would think it was all his imagination. But the man heard him talk as clear as day, so… Eren began to think so hard that his brain hurt. He gritted his teeth in frustration, unable to escape from his agitation. How was he going to get out of this? He was in a pickle- a really bad one.

Surprisingly, the cat spoke up first, in a strangled, quavering voice that was not quiet at all.

"You're not surprised?" Eren asked in a breathy and raspy voice, sounding like he was hyperventilating. "I mean- I-" He began to mumble incomprehensible strings of sentences, ranging from confusion to disbelief.

The man blinked, contemplating to himself. Now that the cat spoke again, the man observed that its voice sounded completely like a human's, just a bit higher-pitched and soft. He expected it to be the whiny voice that little girls used when they played with their dolls, but this cat definitely didn't sound like that. Its quiet voice resembled more of a young boy.

Eren continued whimpering, burying his face behind his paws. "I'm a talking cat, I'm weird, and I speak human language… I'm literally like- like, um, an alien sent here to invade Earth!"

_Oh god, why did I make myself sound so stupid_. Eren scrunched his face, pleading himself to get his shit together. _Invading aliens, my ass._

The man inadvertently snorted at the cat's mention of aliens. He quickly covered up his chuckle with a tight-lipped frown. "Who said I wasn't surprised? While I never thought that cats can talk, it's not like talking cats are impossible."

"But you don't look surprised…"

"You're a cat that can talk like a human. So what?" The man leisurely waved his hand like the talking cat in front of him was no big deal. The first few seconds after the cat talked were admittedly shocking for the man, but he regained his composure at a surprising speed- faster that the man had expected of himself. "It's up to others to decide if they want to be surprised or whatever, but in a world where we know less than one percent about, I don't think it's anything to be scared about."

"So..." Eren whispered, words laced with suspicion. "You're not going to turn me in?"

"To who?"

Eren shuddered. "Researchers or scientists... or the animal pound?"

The man cocked his head at the shaking cat, who avoided meeting his eyes at all costs. The man's eyes glinted with mirth, as if he was inwardly smirking at the talking cat before him. "I wasn't planning on it. Why, you want me to?"

"No!" Eren yelled and immediately shot up, his voice quivering at the very end. A short and low chuckle from the man made Eren feel like he'd just been toyed with. He started preening his fur in the prettiest fashion he could manage (which honestly, the man found awkward looking due to the cat's wounded legs and arms and crooked tail, not to mention his fur was horrendous). Eren continued to stare at the man in dim wonder, his tongue lazily starting to slip out of his mouth. He mewled softly, each mewl dripping in saccharine tones, and impishly batted his eyelashes.

"Hell no," The man's frowned. "Why are you- don't look at me like that."

Eren's tail twitched. He started to hiss in attempt at a retort; however, he resorted to sticking his tongue out and letting out what he hoped sounded like an affectionate purr roll off his tongue._ Eyes big, paws curled in front cutely, tap your tail on the ground gently, tilt your head and purr_, Eren recounted to himself. _Be cute_. This was a cat's deadly weapon, one that he used all the time on the streets.

"Don't even try- I think I know what you're doing. And don't do it, because it's not going to work," The man's frown deepened as he refrained from rolling his eyes. "I don't dig cutesy actions, and you aren't close to cute anyways. You look like a lump of shit right now. If it wasn't for your tail, I would have mistaken you for a pile of trash."

Trash? _He called me trash_- Eren growled loudly. He started to burn with irritation. Eren had never been more offended in his life. He could deal with being called a thief or dirty robber, but 'lump of shit'- Eren really wanted to claw this man's eyes out.

"Don't be so damn noisy, there's no need to screech like a dying cat." The man paused, before realizing his use of a simile. His lips spread mere centimeters wider in what Eren assumed to be the smallest coy smile. "Well, even if you're a dying cat, just know that screaming isn't going to help you in your final moments."

"I'm not screeching," Eren argued. "And I'm not dying either."

"Wow, convincing shit right there," the man dryly replied, finally straightening up and putting some space between him and Eren. The man started to walk away. "Wait right here."

The man wordlessly disappeared from the room, and Eren let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. His limbs hurt more than before, even more so after holding himself in a tense position while being questioned by the man. It was the perfect chance to run away, but Eren bet he couldn't even muster the strength to leap out of the open window.

"Here, for effort." The man reappeared before Eren, and put something down in front of him.

Eren blankly stared at the bowl. He snapped his head back up at the man, but quickly looked down again.

Eren was speechless.

No words could describe how nice it smelled- comparable to the candy shop he was thrown out of earlier today- no, Eren thought, it was even better. The real thing that he had only dreamed of was sitting right in front of him.

Milk. Wonderful, heaven-blessed milk.

It was then that Eren realized how starved he was.

But what if it was all a trap? What if the man captures him as soon as he dips his tongue into the milk? He still couldn't trust the man so easily. There were countless humans that Eren faced before that tried to bait him with food and other goods. He eventually learned that humans couldn't be trusted. Another quick burst of doubt permeated through Eren's heart, and he was painfully torn between being cautious or giving into his hunger. Eren turned to the man, but thought better about asking and turned back towards the bowl.

"Are you going to eat it or not? Get on with it if you are," The man snapped. "I'm not going to turn you in, for heavens sakes, so stop being a literal scaredy-cat-" He went back on his words, realizing that it might have sounded too harsh. "Look, turning you in just because you talk is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. I'm not going to hurt you. I swear."

As soon as the man uttered those assuring words, Eren dipped his muzzle into the bowl.

It was warm, Eren immediately realized. Warm. Delicious. It splashed onto his cheeks and trembling whiskers as he eagerly lapped it up, quenching his thirst and filling him up with a fuzzy and comfortable feeling. It tasted of velvet clouds, an indescribable but soothing flavor that overwhelmed him. His expression transposed into one of pure satisfaction. As cheesy as it sounded, he felt like the warm liquid was breathing life back into his lethargic body.

He looked up, about to thank the man. Nothing from the streets could compare to this bowl of milk, and a gratified Eren was on the verge of deciding that he liked the man.

The man patiently tapped his fingers on his crossed arms, analyzing Eren with a mixture of interest and disapproval. He regarded Eren's body with a careful eye, noticing how the bones around the cat's ribcage jutted out in noticeable bumps, how the cat's fur was uneven and patchy, and how scarily thin it was. The cat's tail looked frail, just like a thread that could easily break. The man bet that he could easily crush the cat's tail in between his index finger and thumb.

He must be starved, the man grimaced. Seriously though, the man didn't understand how the cat could get this worked up over a cheap cup of milk. Its expression resembled the ones a person would have if they won the lottery- disbelief and exhilaration. The man wondered what the cat would do if he gave it a five-star full course meal. It'd go insane, probably, and die of happiness.

"I've never seen such a messy and shameless eater before," the man remarked.

-yeah, no, Eren changed his mind- he still didn't like this man. The cat nearly choked on his milk as he tried to force out some incoherent replies. He was too hungry to argue back, but that was incredibly uncalled for!- and totally rude, Eren growled. What an ass. Eren's tail whipped up and he couldn't help but growl to himself for being such a dolt at thinking a stranger, a human, would be that kind.

The man leaned in and stared at Eren with his narrowed eyes. Eren thought they were angry eyes, by the way they were narrow and severe, and glinted with a steely coldness. But he shouldn't judge the man too rashly, he reminded himself. After all, this man gave him milk and didn't kick him out- yet.

"Disgusting brat, if you don't shower, you're going to contaminate my room."

"I'm not a brat," He stated defensively. "I have a name- Eren."

"Is that so."

Shocked, Eren kicked his legs when the man picked him off the floor with two fingers- what human does that?- by the back of his neck, right by the area a mother cat would sink her mouth in to carry her litter around.

"Put me down!" Eren jerked around in the man's hold. "I'm not done eating-"

"E…R…E…" The man leaned in closer. Eren recoiled; he swore the man's eyes had laser beams of venom shooting out, and he wouldn't be surprised if the man's gaze could burn holes through his forehead. "…N," the man finished. "Eren."

"Eren," the man tasted the words on his mouth. Eren liked how the "R" rolled off the tip of the man's tongue in a refined accent. "So that's your name?"

"Yes?" Eren's reply came out more as a question than an answer.

"You just said that it was your name," the man pointed out sardonically. "Now you're unsure?"

"Well, I think it is," Eren said, putting a strong emphasis on 'think'.

"You think? Do you not know your name?"

Eren squirmed in the man's hold.

"It's Eren," the cat firmly declared, then fell silent, repeating his last phrase quietly, "I think..." Eren uncomfortably looked away. He really didn't like the topic of his memory loss- it just reminded him of the many questions he didn't know the answer of, and the stranger's questions came dangerously close to his limits.

"You don't know?" The man repeated. Before the cat could protest again, the man held up a hand, halting him in his words. "I want a definite answer, none of those wishy-washy responses."

"I don't know- but I _think_ it is, so for now I'm Eren."

The man looked at the stubborn cat grimly. It was fiddling with its claws, cowering under the scrutiny of the man's gaze. The man was still displeased with the unconfident answer that he received, but he stopped inquiring the cat when its mood evidently soured into a gloomy unhappiness.

Eren stopped playing with his paws when he realized that the man didn't pry any further. He swallowed the lump of anxiety that had built up in his throat. "So, um, can you put me down now?"

All Eren received back was a brief shake and a glare.

"I've been trying to ignore it, but you're just too filthy," The man eyed Eren with repulse. "I wouldn't be surprised if you came out of a pigpen."

Eren was taken aback. "I never came close to a pigpen!" By now Eren was vaguely aware of the stranger's harsh tongue. Still, he couldn't help but feel offended by the onslaught of the man's brutal language – and just a bit ashamed that he agreed with some of the points the man made. Eren tucked his head to his neck and sniffed- okay, he smelled terribly bad, that was true- nonetheless, he grudgingly asked, "Can you stop commenting on my hygiene?"

"No," The man immediately shot back.

Carrying Eren with him, the man stood up and walked to another room- the restroom, Eren realized- while carefully keeping the cat an arm's length away. No sooner did Eren get thrown into the bathtub than did water come hurtling down from above.

The sudden change in temperature hurt, and he felt like was being roasted in a cooking pit. Panicking, Eren reflexively attempted to dart out of the stream of hot water. He just took one step before a firm grip set him back into the burning rain. "What the-" It was a shower, he realized. A very hot one, to top it off. Cleanliness was not a top priority for Eren, but he appreciated it to a point- that is, if he was being cleaned gently.

And this, Eren frowned, was not gentle. "Can you scrub softer?" Eren pleaded while squinting his eyes. "Ouch- try not to touch hind leg right there- can you at least turn the heat down?"

If he were human, his loud cries and swearing would've woken up the entire neighborhood. Too bad his little pathetic voice wasn't even loud enough to echo around the restroom. Eren just wanted to escape this utter torture.

"Stop moving, you little shit," The man barked. "I'm doing you a favor. Normally I wouldn't even come close to touching this kind of-" He held up a black dot in front of Eren to see. It was a piece of burnt rubber, and the man flicked it down the drain. "-rubbish." He forcefully held the squealing cat down – who was sprawled on the tile floor and desperately flailing around for an escape- and the man did not relent in his hold.

"No one's forcing you to wash me."

"No, but I expect you to at least be clean if you're in my house."

"Your efforts won't matter, since I've been dirty for so long the filth probably seeped through my skin permanently," Eren stubbornly replied.

"Don't be dumb, Eren." The man dispensed a handful of liquid soap onto a palm-sized sponge. "Bottom line is, you're dirty and no one likes dirty things in their house." He began to lather the soap onto Eren's fur, starting with his hind legs. The cat peeked at the man, whose expression was of one in deep concentration.

"I could- I could just leave." Eren quietly said. He held his breath at the miniscule regret that pulsed through his mind at his own suggestion.

Eren trained his eyes upon the stream of water going down the drain, suddenly captivated by the bubbles on the skim water surface disappearing one by one. He opened and closed his mouth in a vain attempt to speak, unsure of what to say.

The man shot Eren a skeptical look. It was painfully obvious that the cat was uncomfortable with his own answer.

"I mean, I understand that I'm bothering you, so-"

The man squeezed the sponge over Eren's head, and soapsuds slid down Eren's forehead and into the corners of his eyes, which watered with hot tears almost instantaneously. Ow. Pawing at his stinging eyes, Eren let out a pained hiss. "Ouch, that seriously hurt! It wouldn't hurt to warn me beforehand..."

"Leave? And die out of starvation? What a lame way to die." The man scathingly said. "Turn around and stay still if you don't want to get soap into your eyes," he instructed.

Eren silently obliged and remained as still as he could.

The man ruffled through the Eren's damp fur and frowned upon the sight of shiny, pink incisions on the cat's battered skin. He hadn't noticed the scars before because they were hidden behind the tufts of fur.

"What is- what the hell did these come from?" The man demanded, moving his fingers to trace the scars. They varied in size, the biggest scar stretching from the side of Eren's neck down to his right paw. The man could tell that several marks were new, due to the dried up blood that gathered around the openings. He carefully maneuvered the sponge around the wounds.

Eren's face burned with chagrin as looked at the man's fingers, which trailed slowly over the big gash at his side. He was discomforted by the close attention directed towards his scars, and inched away from the man, hiding the big scar by smoothing his fur over it. That particular scar was from a nasty brawl a month ago; he fought with a Siamese cat three times his size over half a muffin. He had won, of course, but took heavy damage in return. In Eren's opinion, it was totally worth it.

"They're from a lot of different things, I guess..."

The man frowned at the vague answer, and Eren hastily continued. "But they're mostly accidents! And the others... aren't," Eren explained. "I don't really mind them, to be honest. Actually, I like to call them my battle scars."

Eren babbled on a while longer, unaware that the man couldn't hear him over the loud noise of the shower. Pretending that he was listening, the man began to scrub behind the cat's ears- _even more scars_- really, the man highly doubted that most of the scars on the cat's body came from "accidents".

After a minute or so, Eren suddenly stopped, embarrassed at what he was spewing out to a random stranger.

The man murmured, "Battle scars, huh?"A thoughtful look developed on the man's face, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a small, negligible smirk. So maybe this brat of a cat wasn't that much of a scatterbrained idiot as he initially assumed. No, this cat was upgraded to a shameless idiot with worthless pride. "Isn't that just an excuse for your clumsiness?"

"Of course not!" Eren squawked indignantly.

With a hiss, the loud pattering of water died down, and along came a sudden coldness that mixed in with the thick steam. Eren squinted open one eye. He didn't see much before something white blurred his vision, and he almost purred – so close- when the stranger's hands dried him with a towel.

The man used a pinch hold on him again, staring at his the product of his hard work. The cat's messy locks had dried into feathery, unruly fur that stuck up at odd angles. Wide-eyed, a newly fluffed-up Eren just stared back at the man. The man stared right back, albeit his stare was much, much more intimidating.

"Not bad. I can see that you're an actual cat now." Eren didn't know whether to be flattered or to be flabbergasted.

"I've always been a cat…"

**xxx**

"Sleep here," The man pointed out a small makeshift bed of blankets and pillows, not bothering to give any explanation before walking away.

Eren stared at it disbelievingly. Even after the man walked out, yawning and grumbling, Eren was still looking after man's back in wonder. He had half-expected the man to kick him out after feeding and washing him.

Eren slapped himself on the cheek. It stung- he wasn't dreaming.

He let out a sigh of relief as he nestled in the layered sheets, enjoying the smooth sensation that he had never experienced. Compared to the bundles of newspapers, the sheets were the absolute definition of euphoria.

He remembered his bowl of milk earlier today. The man could have given cold milk to Eren straight out of the refrigerator, but opted to heat it to a lukewarm temperature. Whether it was out of consideration or just common ethics, Eren didn't know, but Eren begrudgingly admitted the man's actions made him just a teensy bit more likeable.

"S'pose he's a decent human," he sleepily mumbled to himself.

Basked by a wintry moonlight, Eren found himself nodding off to sleep in the comfortable coziness of down and cotton.

**xxx**

Once the cat was fast asleep, the man quietly approached it with a box of bandages, cotton swabs, and sterilizing wipes.

It lay completely still on the messy sheets, blissfully in its field of dreams. A small pool of clear liquid gathered near its snout (it was drool, and the man wiped it off reluctantly, but gently).

The man started to wrap the cat's hind leg with a stretchy bandage. The cat quivered in its deep sleep as the man's hands brushed past the scratches of where the broom had hit him.

"Battle scars," The man repeated.

He paused for a moment, then sarcastically commented under his breath. "How _cute_."

**xxx**

When Eren woke up, the apartment was empty and the man was nowhere to be seen. His leg and several parts of his body stung, and he looked down to find bandages patched all over his body. They were done with precise fingers, Eren could tell- even the medical tape was wrapped beautifully.

Eren was surprised to find a bowl of milk left close to his makeshift bed (warmed milk again, Eren smiled), along with a plate with strips of chicken. His jaw dropped at the sight of meat. It was a simple meal, but to him, it was a feast. Eren ate ravenously, finishing it in mere minutes.

Once his stomach was satisfied, he trotted around the living room.

Eren noticed that the window was open.

**xxx**

The door clicked, signaling the return of the strange man, and Eren jolted as footsteps grew closer and closer to his location. Seconds later, the man briskly walked into the living room.

The man clicked his tongue at the sight of a huddled cat peeking around the wall. "So you're still here."

Eren chose not to respond, and merely peered at the man. The man turned away and walked in the direction of the kitchen.

Eren got up and stretched, slowly following the man. Why Eren was following him- Eren had no idea at all. The man didn't force Eren to leave yet, so Eren assumed it was to stay for a bit more. Unsure of how close he could be (and still a bit wary of the man's mean gaze), Eren plodded a safe distance behind the man's heels.

The man looked back crossly. "What are you following me for?"

Eren halted in his steps at the severe look on the man's face. Crestfallen, he began to turn away.

The man sighed irritably. He ran his hand through his hair several times, grumbling under his breath. "Come here."

Eren followed the man into the kitchen.

The man dished out another portion of glorious milk, and Eren watched in silent surprise. The man firmly set the plastic bowl on the floor, and leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed as he watched the stray eagerly lapping it up.

"Are you stupid?" The man suddenly asked.

"What, why? I-I'm not stupid," Eren spluttered. "Oh shit, sorry." His coughing fit resulted in small puddles of milk on the kitchen floor. "I can lick it up if you want-"

The stranger gave Eren a withering glare, and quickly mopped it up while lowly muttering something about 'don't eat things that fell onto the floor'. Eren guiltily watched as the man scrubbed the floor, and the granite became impeccably clean and sparkly once again. The man balanced the mop against the wall once he was done cleaning up the milk puddles.

"I left the window open."

Eren gingerly prodded at the bowl. "Well yeah, I noticed, but I…" He lamely started, then turned his big eyes towards the man.

"Why are you staring at me? Go on. Continue."

Truthfully, Eren had some idea of why he didn't want to leave. Earlier today, Eren had walked in loops in the front of the window, debating whether to leave or not. When he finally dared to stick his paw out, trepidation would pool in his heart, and he'd end up curling back in alarm.

It was fear, the kind of clenching feeling you felt when you look outside the window during the night, expecting supernatural beings to pop up and snatch you away. Eren's fear was exactly that fear. He didn't want to go back to his despondent life in the streets. Yet, there was something else tugging at him that told him he should go back outside before he got used to this luxurious life. In the end, the internal conflict caused Eren to retreat back to the living room and back to his tangle of sheets.

_Coward_, Eren thought to himself. He was the perfect definition of cowardice. He, an independent stray cat of all things, was scared of going outside. Suddenly, embarrassment washed over him, and he had the urge to hide the scars all over the body- he didn't live up to the 'bravery' they stood for.

"I don't know," Eren lied, mortified at the thought of admitting he was scared.

The stranger obviously wasn't pleased with his answer.

"Brat, can you say anything else besides 'I don't know'?"

"I really don't know! I swear!" Eren protested in a strained tone. "Anyways, is it bad?"

"Bad for you to stay or bad to say 'I don't know'? I'd say it'd be bad for both-"

"Yes! I mean no! Er, I mean, is it bad for me to stay, maybe for a bit?" Eren purposefully left out a specific number of days. Hope clung to each syllable and was left hanging in the air. Eren's ears perked up in anticipation, and the furry appendages twitched every second or so as Eren waited for the man's answer.

The man looked at Eren.

"I don't like dirty things," the man said smoothly. "It's bothersome to take care of an animal, and I find it tiring and annoying."

Eren's mouth opened into an 'o' shape and remained open for a few seconds. He dejectedly slumped his shoulders, his gut painfully twisting.

"Ah. Okay," He muttered, face crumpling.

_Well, of course, Eren. Don't be stupid_. He was a filthy stray cat, a freaky talking cat, what had he expected- the man to shelter him for free? There was no way that would happen.

He knew it. Berating himself for asking such a ridiculous question, Eren bit his tongue to quell the anxiousness building up within him.

He would be out in the streets again- alone, cold, and hungry. It would be much, much harsher after experiencing yesterday - his life's worth of dreams. It would be a bumpy transition, and Eren was sure he'd lose all motivation the second he stepped back into those dark alleys.

Eren licked his whiskers nervously. Just thinking about the countless times he curled up on tattered newspapers with glazed, lifeless eyes made him shiver in panic.

The man didn't need supernatural senses to see that Eren was distressed. The cat's tail drooped down and lay lifelessly on the floor as the it occupied itself with licking its whiskers anxiously. "But rest assured, I'm not going to throw a half-dead cat into the streets," the man continued, watching Eren from the corner of his eyes.

The corner of the man's lip twitched in amusement at the sudden spark of hope that lit in the cat's eyes. "That would be a waste of a living life."

Not only that, the man mentally added, he would probably feel so fucking guilty for kicking out a half-dead cat that he would be ashamed of himself. Now that would be a huge hit to any of his last threads of humanity. _Humanity, my ass_, the man offhandedly thought. Just seeing the cat's green eyes, big fucking green eyes, pathetically round eyes, eyes that literally begged the man not to desert him- yeah, he'd be conscience-stricken forever.

Eren had to stop and pause to take in what the man said. He couldn't believe it. Courage surged through him and he couldn't help but blurt out the first thing in his mind.

"So I'm important enough to count as a living life in your book?"

"Eren, don't even start to get cocky with me."

**xxx**

The next morning, the window was still open.

When Eren opened his sleepy eyes, he was momentarily baffled to why he was so warm and full. Then he remembered the stranger, who fed and sheltered him.

Eren suddenly realized he wasn't sure what to call him because the stranger never gave him his name.

Hearing the sound of a doorknob being opened, Eren quickly pattered to the door, where the man was just getting ready to leave.

"Hey, wait!" Eren breathlessly called out, still in a half-asleep daze. "What's your name?"

The man blinked at the sudden appearance of the cat, which looked at him expectantly. The man slipped on his leather shoes, remaining silent for a moment.

"Levi," He shortly stated.

Eren liked the man's name- Levi. Simple yet distinguished. It seemed to fit the man rather well, much better than the "Robert" and "Max" and various other names that he had pondered over.

Eren let a small chuckle escape. The man looked at Eren sternly. "What?"

"Nothing, I just thought your name suits you."

"Shut up."

**xxx**

Around evening, Levi returned to the apartment with a plastic bag containing two brand new cartons of milk. He vehemently denied that it was for the stubborn cat, but eventually caved in and truthfully said that yes, it was for the 'little shit named Eren'.

.


End file.
